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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. bound — certain
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. mine — for digging
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. bulb — for light
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. stock — shares
  14. stock — goods
  15. firm — a company
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. press — to push
  18. bound — obliged
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. firm — decided
  21. press — newspapers
  22. bulb — for light
  23. press — a publisher
  24. bound — tied together

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com